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Former Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard will fiish his career at Ohio State

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Former Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard will fiish his career at Ohio State


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MANHATTAN — Former Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard, who helped lead the Wildcats to 18 victories and a Big 12 championship over the past two seasons, is headed to the Big Ten.

After leaving K-State at the end of the regular season, Howard became a hot commodity on the transfer market, and on Thursday he announced on social media that he is headed to national powerhouse Ohio State.

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“THE Ohio State University. Thank You God!!” Howard posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

Howard had plenty of options after entering the transfer portal as a graduate. He visited both Miami and Southern California before settling on Ohio State, where he will have a chance to close out his career as the successor to Kyle McCord as the Buckeyes’ quarterback.

Ohio State also will put him closer to his hometown of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

The first sign that Howard might leave K-State with a year of eligibility remaining came on senior night, after the Wildcats lost to Iowa State, 42-35, to close out the regular season.

Why Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard is oozing confidence for the 2023 season

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“It’s hard to put it into words, honestly. This place has meant the world to me,” he said. “All the relationships that I’ve had, the people that I’ve come across. All the coaches, all the players.

“Genuinely I love this place and I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life. This place turned me into a man.”

Howard had his ups and downs in four years at K-State, but the highlight was clearly a run to the 2022 Big 12 championship and a Sugar Bowl invitation after he took over for injured starter Adrian Martinez midway through the season.

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In 2023 he started every game, throwing for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he left as the school career recordholder with 48 touchdown passes. He finished his four years with 5,786 passing yards.

But Howard also struggled in a disappointing loss at Oklahoma State, which pushed true freshman and fan favorite Avery Johnson into the spotlight and led the two of them to be listed as co-starters on the depth chart the rest of the year.

But Howard regained his footing to finish the season strong and was named to the All-Big 12 second team by the league coaches.

Kansas State football quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson in dead heat for QB1 job

Howard also had some rough patches early in his career, especially after he was forced into action as a true freshman during the 2020 pandemic season when starter Skylar Thompson got hurt. K-State finished on a five-game losing streak with Howard behind center.

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With Howard’s decision to transfer, it opened the door for Johnson to get a jump on the 2024 season in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. He responded by leading the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory over North Carolina State and was named the game’s most valuable player.

But Howard leaves a legacy as one of K-State’s top quarterbacks. And now he has a chance to do more of the same at Ohio State.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.



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Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm

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Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of an illegal firearm.

According to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, 22-year-old Antoine R. Gillum was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

His sentencing stems from a June 2024 incident in a metro gas station. KCPD investigators contacted Gillum inside and found that he had discarded a 9 mm pistol in an aisle between the merchandise. He also discarded a pill bottle containing multiple illegal substances: cocaine base, oxycodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone.

Officers searched the vehicle Gillum had arrived in and found approximately 32 grams of cocaine base.

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On May 6, 2025, Gillum pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It’s a part of ‘Operation Take Back America,’ a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

No further information has been released.



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Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City

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Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A crash near a busy highway killed two people and injured two others.

Emergency crews responded to the crash at U.S. 71 Highway and Meyer Boulevard around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, March 2.

When crews arrived they determined four cars were involved in the crash.

Police are investigating how the crash happened.

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Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City

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Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City


LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) – As Kansas women’s basketball prepares to enter the postseason at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, they’ll be led by two Overland Park natives who have been two of the most electrifying players to watch in the country this year.

Junior guard S’Mya Nichols and freshman forward Jaliya Davis have played integral roles in the recent growth of the program. Both cite the desire to help grow the Jayhawks into something special as reasons for committing there.

“Where we wanted to take Kansas women’s basketball, I wanted to be a part of that growing evolution,” Nichols told KCTV5.

“We [my family] were also really big Jayhawk fans. We came to a lot of games,” Davis said about her childhood.

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The two were both 5-star recruits in high school, and their commitments marked historic recruiting victories for the KU women’s basketball program.

First came Nichols in the Class of 2023, picking KU over Tennessee and Oklahoma.

“I genuinely wanted to go to Kansas,” she said.

Then Davis became the highest-rated player to ever commit to KU as part of the Class of 2025.

“When you go back to S’Mya Nichols being a local, Kansas City, Overland Park product, a nationally respected player, Jaliya was really the next one that was very important for the Jayhawks to keep home,” said head coach Brandon Schneider.

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Now as a junior, Nichols has established herself as one of the most consistent scorers and physical guards in the nation.

But it’s the Shawnee Mission West’s alum’s leadership that defines her legacy in Lawrence.

“The team leader, the quarterback,” Coach Schneider described Nichols. “I think oftentimes the player that everybody looks up to off the court.”

“I mean it means everything. Knowing that I’m important to the team, and that they see me as that as well,” said Nichols with a smile.

Both Nichols and Davis were recruited by the Jayhawks for years, going all the way back to seventh grade.

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“Well, we offered her in middle school,’ Coach Schneider said with a laugh about Davis.

“Oh he put in a lot of work,” laughed Davis. “I mean, obviously, seventh grade, that’s a long time.”

It was that dedication from Coach Schneider that led her to choose the Jayhawks over Texas, South Carolina, Baylor, and Oklahoma – where he dad played ball.

“I think it really was the relationship we had and grew. He was always there, every single one of my games,” Davis said about Schneider.

After just one practice as teammates, Nichols voiced a big belief about Davis into existence – and it’s probably going to come true.

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The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.(KCTV5)

“I saw her first practice, and I sent her a text, and I’m like ‘I think you can win Freshman of the Year’, and I still stand by that,”

Davis is averaging 21.0 points per game, and has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for eight weeks in a row. That sets a power conference all-time record.

“I think it’s really cool. I mean obviously it’s a team effort, they’re always looking for me,” Davis said about her historic accomplishment.

“Just a phenomenal stretch of basketball for her, and so well deserving,” said Coach Schneider.

Now these two homegrown stars are at the forefront of a late-season push to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Right now, CBS Sports bracketology has them as a ‘First Four Out’ team.

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But a few wins in the Big 12 Tournament could certainly help seal their invite to the big dance.

“Obviously we’re not in the position that we were hoping to be in, but I think we can make the most out of it, and get to where we want to be,” Davis said about the opportunity at hand in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.

The Overland Park kids are especially fired up about starting the postseason in their own backyard.

“I have a big support system. So I bet my family will take a big chunk of that area during that tournament,” Davis laughed.

“I remember being younger, and the College Basketball Experience is right next door. So I felt like at one moment that was the big stage, when I got to play my little AAU tournaments in there. And then all of a sudden I’m literally in T-Mobile Center on the actual big stage, so it’s pretty cool,” said Nichols.

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The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.



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